The head of Microsoft games arm, Phil Spencer, is to be given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the DICE Awards later this month.

Organisers, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), have said that he will be given the honour by Bethesda game director and exec producer Todd Howard.

Spencer has been the head of Xbox since 2014, but has worked at the company since 1988. Under this leadership, the Big M's games arm has seen a real turnaround with initiatives like Xbox Game Pass and xCloud, as well as bolstering the firm's first-party stable of studios. That includes the acquisition of Bethesda parent firm ZeniMax Media, which Microsoft bought for $7.5 billion.

“Phil Spencer has demonstrated both passion and leadership throughout his entire career at Microsoft,” AIAS boss Meggan Scavio said.

"He’s responsible for countless impactful and pivotal initiatives that have reverberated throughout the entire gaming industry. On behalf of the Academy’s Board of Directors, we are looking forward to celebrating Spencer’s important impact on video game history by presenting him with our Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon is joining the AIAS Hall of Fame this year, too.